Locking arrangement for carton walls



Jan. 9, 1968 I B. E. VAN DYKE 3,362,610

LOCKING ARRANGEMENT FOR CARTON WALLS Filed Nov. 25, 1966 5714063 Z/czn yke United States Patent Office 3,362,610 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 3,362,610 LOCKING ARRANGEMENT FOR CARTON WALLS Bruce E. Van Dyke, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to Container Corporation of America, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 596,544 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-45) This invention relates to locking arrangements, and more particularly to an arrangement for providing an interlocking connection between a partition or divider panel and a related wall of a tray or shelf type carton.

The invention comprehends an improved interlocking connection for securing the end of one wall to a medial portion of another wall which is disposed at an angle to the one wall.

In the design and construction of a shelf display carton or a partitioned tray carton a common problem is that of providing a simple and economical means of securing the ends of the shelves or partitions to the side walls of the carton.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide, in a shelf or tray type car-ton, a simple interlocking connection between the end of one wall and the side of another wall which connection may be easily formed to facilitate erection of the carton.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision, in a carton of the type described, of an interlocking connection which includes a locking device projecting from the end edge of one wall of a carton for interlocking engagement with a related locking device on the inner panel of another wall of the cart-on, having a pair of inner and .outer panels, and wherein the interlocking connection serves to prevent the first wall from moving in either direction with respect to the second wall of the carton.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tray or shelf type carton embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is "a section taken on line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view illustrating an interlocking connection'between two walls of the carton of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a portion of the blank from which the tray or display cart-on of the other views is formed; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the shelf or partition of the tray or display carton of the other views is formed.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are believed to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of the invention, and particularly to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that there is shown therein a carton which embodies features of the invention. The carton illustrated in the drawing is in a vertical position so that it would serve as a shelf or cabinet type display carton; however, if the same carton were to be shown in a horizontal position it could be considered a tray with partitions. The structure in either case includes a hollow, box-like member indicated generally at T which has therein a plurality of shelves or partitions indicated generally at P. Throughout the specification this structure will be referred to as a tray; however, it should be borne in mind that the same construction can be utilized in a shelf display carton.

The general construction of the tray may be of a conventional type, and, as best seen in FIGURE 1, includes a bottom wall 10 having formed integrally therewith and extending upwardly therefrom a pair of opposed end walls 12 and a pair of opposed side walls 14 which are interconnected to form a box-like structure.

Side walls 14 are preferably of two-ply construction comprising inner and outer panels 14a and 14b, respectively which are hingedly attached at their upper edges. The lower edges of inner panels 14a may each be provided with an additional, relatively narrow, elongated flap 16 which, if desired, may be glued or otherwise secured to the bottom wall of the cart-on. The lower edges of outer side wall panels 14b are preferably hingedly attached to the related side edges of bottom wall 10.

'As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, side wall inner panel 14a is provided with a locking device indicated generally at 20 which includes an opening 22 formed therein and partly defined by a preferably U-sh-aped cut line 23. Disposed within the opening 22 and occupying the greater portion of the opening, when the blank is in fiat condition, is a lock tab 24 which is hinged to the inner side wall panel 14a along a hinge line 26 extending transversely of inner side wall panel 14a between the free ends of out line 23. Locking tab 24 is somewhat T-sh'aped in construction and includes a body portion 28 and a centrally disposed extension 29 projecting therefrom away from hinge line 26.

Turning now to FIGURES 3 and 5, it will be seen that partition P is preferably formed as a two-ply wall having first and second panels 30a and 30b, respectively, which are hingedly attached to each other along corresponding upper edges and which each have hingedly attached to their lower edges a relatively narrow elongated flop 32 which may be glued or otherwise secured to bottom wall 10 of the carton if desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 5, it will be seen that the first panel 30a of the partition has a locking device indicated generally at 40 disposed at each end thereof for connection with related locking device 20 in the adjacent side wall of the carton.

Each locking device 40 includes a lock tab 42 which is hingedly attached to the end edge of the related panel 30a along a hinge line 44 extending transversely across a short extension 31 at the end of panel 30a. Each lock tab 42 is generally T-shaped in contour and includes a body portion 46 having at the inboard end thereof a projection 48 which is formed by a generally U-shaped cut line 49 disposed within the periphery of panel 30a. It will be noted that when tab 42 is folded along hinge line 44 at right angles to panel 30a, as shown in FIGURE 2, there is provided inwardly adjacent the end of panel 3011 an opening 50 which represents that area from which extension 48 of tab 42 was cut. The purpose of this opening will be described later in the specification.

Now to describe the assembly of the partition and tray. After the tray has been erected and the partition has been erected with panels 30a and 30b folded in back-to-back relationship, the partition is inserted into the tray in a position normal to bottom wall 10 and side walls 14, with locking devices 40 of the partition and locking devices 20 of the tray side walls disposed adjacent each other.

At this point tab 24 of side wall inner panel 14a is folded into the tray inwardly a suflicient distance to permit the insertion of partition lock tab 42 into side wall inner panel opening 22. After lock tab 42 has been folded downwardly, as shown in FIGURE 2, at right angles to panel 30. Lock tab 24 is then folded back against side wall inner panel 14a to the position shown in FIGURE 2 until extension 29 of lock tab 24 is received within opening 50 of partition panel 30a. At this point partition lock tab 42 is disposed entirely between inner and outer tray side 3 wall panels 14a and 14b with body 46 on one side of the partition and projection 43 on the other side of the partition, and is held there by the locking connection between side wall lock tab 24 and partition inner panel 30a.

Thus, it will be seen that there is provided in the invention a sim le and economical means of forming an interlocking connection which may be simply assembled by hand or by machine and which will prevent the lateral movement of the partition in either direction with respect to the side wall of the tray.

I claim:

1. In a locking arrangement for securing an end of one wall to a side of another wall of a carton, the combination of:

(a) a first wall including at least one panel;

(b) a second wall disposed at an angle to said first wall and including inner and outer panels;

(c) said second wall inner panel having an opening therein;

(d) a lock tab hinged to said second wall inner panel at an edge of said opening;

(e) a lock tab hinged to an end edge of said first wall one panel, folded at an angle to said first wall, extending through the opening in said second wall one panel, and positioned between and in parallel relation with the second wall inner and outer panels;

(f) said first Wall one panel having an opening therein disposed inwardly adjacent said first wall one panel lock tab;

(g) said second wall lock tab being disposed to extend over a portion of said first wall lock tab and into the opening in said first wall one panel to retain the first wall lock tab in position between the inner and outer panels of said second wall.

2. In a locking arrangement for securing an end of one wall to a side of another wall of a carton, the combination of:

(a) a first wall including at least one panel;

(b) a second wall disposed at an angle to said first wall and including inner and outer panels;

(c) said second wall inner panel having an opening therein;

(d) a lock tab hinged to said second wall inner panel at an edge of said opening;

(e) a lock tab hinged to an end edge of said first wall one panel, folded at an angle to said first wall, extending through the opening in said second wall one panel, and positioned between and in parallel relation with the second wall inner and outer panels;

(f) said second wall lock tab being disposed to extend over a portion of said first wall lock tab and into engagement with said first wall one panel to retain the first wall lock tab in position between the inner and outer panels of said second wall.

3. In a locking arrangement for securing an end of one wall to a side of another wall of a carton, the combination of:

(a) a first wall including at least one panel;

(b) a second wall disposed at an angle to said first Wall and including inner and outer panels;

(c) said second wall inner panel having an opening therein;

(d) a lock tab hinged to an end edge of said first wall one panel, folded at an angle to said first wall, extending through the opening in said second wall one panel, and positioned between and in parallel relation with the second wall inner and outer panels;

(c) said lock tab having separate portions extending in opposite directions from said one wall;

(f) means for retaining the first wall lock tab in position between the inner and outer panels of said second wall.

4. In a locking arrangement for securing an end of one wall to a side of another wall of a carton, the combination of:

(a) a first wall including at least one panel;

(b) a second wall disposed at an angle to said first Wall and including inner and outer panels;

(c) said second wallinner panel having an opening therein;

(d) a lock tab hinged to said second wall inner panel at an edge of said opening;

(e) a lock tab extending from said first wall one panel through the opening in said second wall;

(f) said second wall lock tab being disposed for interlocking engagement with said first wall one panel to retain the first wall lock tab in position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,409,701 10/1946 Loth 229-l5 2,489,528 11/1949 Goldstein 229-15 2,511,550 6/1950 Simms 229l5 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A LOCKING ARRANGEMENT FOR SECURING AN END OF ONE WALL TO A SIDE OF ANOTHER WALL OF A CARTON, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A FIRST WALL INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PANEL; (B) A SECOND WALL DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO SAID FIRST WALL AND INCLUDING INNER AND OUTER PANELS; (C) SAID SECOND WALL INNER PANEL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN; (D) A LOCK TAB HINGED TO SAID SECOND WALL INNER PANEL AT AN EDGE OF SAID OPENING; (E) A LOCK TAB HINGED TO AN END EDGE OF SAID FIRST WALL ONE PANEL, FOLDED AT AN ANGLE TO SAID FIRST WALL, EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID SECOND WALL ONE PANEL, AND POSITIONED BETWEEN AND IN PARALLEL RELATION WITH THE SECOND WALL INNER AND OUTER PANELS; (F) SAID FIRST WALL ONE PANEL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN DISPOSED INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID FIRST WALL ONE PANEL LOCK TAB; (G) SAID SECOND WALL LOCK TAB BEING DISPOSED TO EXTEND OVER A PORTION OF SAID FIRST WALL LOCK TAB AND INTO THE OPENING OF SAID FIRST WALL LOCK TAB AND INTO FIRST WALL LOCK TAB IN POSITION BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER PANELS OF SAID SECOND WALL. 